New Jersey Devils left wing Ilya Kovalchuk had signed a 15-year, $100 million contract in 2010. / Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports

by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports

by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports

New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk, 30. walked away from $77 million in future salary Thursday by announcing that he is retiring from the NHL, presumably to play in the Kontinental Hockey League in his native Russia.

"I'm never surprised by anything that happens in this game," said Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Although there is no confirmation yet, it's expected that Kovalchuk will return to SKA St. Petersburg. He was captain of that team during the lockout and stayed in Russia after the start of training camp so he could skate in the league's All-Star game.

"All I know is that he won't be playing here," Lamoriello said.

The Devils would retain Kovalchuk's NHL rights.

Kovalchuk released this statement through the Devils: "This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia. Though I decided to return this past season, Lou was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me. The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for, and our fans that have been great to me."

Lamoriello said Kovalchuk has filed his voluntary retirement papers, and that his contract is now null and void.

The general manager wouldn't discuss the salary cap implications for the team, but, because of Kovalchuk's long-term contract, the Devils enjoyed a salary cap advantage of about $3 million over the first three seasons ($23 million in salary, $20 million in cap hit). Under the collective-bargaining agreement's cap advantage recapture clause, the Devils will have to pay back that amount over the last 12 years of the contract. That would mean a hit of $250,000 a season.

Kovalchuk signed a 15-year, $100 million contract in 2010. The Devils were penalized a first- and a third-round draft pick and fined $3 million because they were judged to be trying to circumvent the salary cap with their original 17-year, $102 million contract, which had five years at $550,000 at the end to lower the cap hit.

The retirement announcement comes six days after the opening of the free agent market, meaning the Devils don't have the option of trying to add players through free agency.

"I can't worry about timing right now," Lamoriello said. "It is what it is. You just go forward."

Lamoriello said the possibility of Kovalchuk leaving the NHL came up during the lockout and was revisited recently.

Kovalchuk played 11 seasons in the NHL, the last four with New Jersey. He leaves with 417 goals and 816 points in 816 games.